News

July 20, 2016

Black Marlin Study Needs Assistance off Central America in Pacific Waters

Sam Williams from the University of Queensland is collaborating with Dr Julian Pepperell in mapping the global genetics of black marlin. We greatly appreciate your assistance in collecting tissue for…

July 7, 2016

Billfish Conservation Act Back on Capitol Hill

The Billfish Conservation Act, which was signed into law in October 2012 with the intent of prohibiting the sale of billfish or billfish products, has not yet been implemented by…

July 6, 2016

Tiger Sharks in Cutler Bay

COAST magnet program students at Cutler Bay Senior High School identify themselves as “Tiger Sharks” and focus their studies on marine and environmental conservation leading to responsible stewardship and sustainability…

July 6, 2016

IATTC 2016 Meeting

Peter Chaibongsai, representing TBF at a meeting of the U.S. Advisory Committee to Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC), an international organization with authority over highly migratory fish in the eastern Pacific…

July 6, 2016

Billfish Conservation Record Now Available – Analyzing 2014 data

The Billfish Foundation’s newest International Billfish Conservation Record is now available digitally! The Conservation Record includes the 2014 Rybovich Lifetime Achievement Award recipients, summary of all tag, release & recapture…

June 8, 2016

Our Florida Reefs – Anglers’ Angst

The three words “Our Florida Reefs” currently generate more angst with Florida anglers than most any others. The reason, fear that all fishing in large swaths of state waters that…

June 8, 2016

Join the Satellite Tagging Expedition!

Be a Conservation Hero, Support TBF’s Satellite Tagging Expedition! Review the proposal to the right or contact us today to receive a copy by email or in the mail! tbf@billfish.org

June 8, 2016

INCIDENTAL BLUEFIN TUNA CAUGHT BY ANGLERS IN GULF

This summer’s Gulf of Mexico’s tournament season began “white hot” with good numbers of marlin, including large ones, and bluefin tuna, which presented unexpected excitement for anglers in the region.…

May 13, 2016

GENERAL CATEGORY ATLANTIC BLUEFIN RETENTION LIMIT ADJUSTMENT

NMFS Adjusts the General Category Daily Retention Limit for June-August 2016 to Five Fish May 11, 2016 Courtesy of National Marine Fisheries Service The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is…

May 11, 2016

STATE FLUSHES POLLUTED WATER ONTO EAST COAST REEFS BUT CORAL REEF INITIATIVE TARGETS RECREATIONAL FISHING

The South East Florida Coral Reef Initiative (SEFCRI), coordinated under Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection’s Coral Reef Conservation Program, momentum is driven by a tax exempt organization 501 (c) (3)…

May 4, 2016

THE BILLFISH FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES 2016 RYBOVICH LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD WINNERS

For Immediate Release – May 4, 2016 Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA – Today, The Billfish Foundation (TBF), the world’s leading…

April 20, 2016

DAILY TRIP LIMIT ADJUSTMENTS FOR ATLANTIC BLUEFIN TUNA ANGLING CATEGORY

Courtesy of National Marine Fisheries Service April 20, 2016 Today National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) announces adjustments to the Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) daily retention limits that apply to vessels permitted in…

April 12, 2016

ATLANTIC BLUEFIN TUNA TROPHY ANGLING CATEGORY SOUTH AREA CLOSED

Effective as of 11:30 p.m. (EST), April 10, 2016 the Angling category for large medium and giant “trophy” bluefin tuna (73” or greater) in the southern area (see image below)…

April 11, 2016

HMS AP & ICCAT UPDATES – MARCH 2016

The Billfish Foundation regularly represents recreational interests and discusses issues surrounding management of billfish and tuna here in US Atlantic waters. This past month, a number of important topics including…

April 7, 2016

INTRODUCING TWO NEW REGIONAL COMPETITIONS!

Due to popular demand of our current regional awards in South Florida and the Gulf of Mexico, TBF is excited to announce the expansion of our regional competitions to include Cape Verde and the Hawaiian Islands. These…

April 7, 2016

INTRODUCING THE HAWAII REGIONAL TAG & RELEASE COMPETITION!

Photo Courtesy of Brian Toney The Hawaiian Islands are undoubtedly a special place for many reasons. In the eyes of many anglers, it is unique for being the only place…

April 7, 2016

INTRODUCING THE CAPE VERDE REGIONAL TAG & RELEASE COMPETITION

Courtesy of the Big Oh For the past several years, winners of TBF’s International Tag & Release Competition blue marlin categories have all come out of Cape Verde and it…

April 6, 2016

2016 TAG & RELEASE COMPETITION UPDATE

Just when it seems that the excitement from last year’s Tag & Release Award Ceremony has begun to wind down, we’ve started ramping up for the 2016 competition. This year…

March 7, 2016

Billfish Conservation Record – Analyzing 2013 Data

The Billfish Foundation is pleased to make available our annual Conservation Record, noting 2013 Rybovich Lifetime Achievement Award Recipients, 2013 Tag & Release Competition winners, and data analysis from this year’s…

March 7, 2016

The Billfish Foundation’s International Tag & Release Awards – 2015 Award Winners

Anglers, captains and mates worldwide are the vital elements needed to provide The Billfish Foundation’s (TBF) Tag and Release program the valuable data required to further billfish science and ensure…

March 3, 2016

TBF TAG & RELEASE CEREMONY RECAP

FT. LAUDERDALE, FL- Anglers, captains and mates worldwide are the vital elements needed to provide The Billfish Foundation’s (TBF) Tag and Release program the valuable data required to further billfish…

February 26, 2016

COSTA, YETI AND TBF TAGGING TRIP TO ISLA MUJERES

Being a part of the sportfishing community and having an opportunities to work alongside our Tag & Release Program sponsors as well as captains and anglers, to put our initiatives…

February 5, 2016

30TH ANNIVERSARY YEAR DEDICATED TO TODAY’S YOUTH

Anniversary Year Dedicated to Today’s Youth …Our Legacy must be a Billfishing Future for Them! TBF’s Herbert Nanne, Central American Conservation Director, worked tirelessly for three years to have the…

February 5, 2016

A SNAPSHOT OF THE BILLFISH FOUNDATION’S FIRST 30 YEARS AND STRATEGIES FOR THE NEXT 30!

If you fished offshore 30 years ago you likely remember seeing at tournaments billfish, especially blue marlin, stacked in piles on the docks after anglers posed for photos with their…

April 18, 2013

TBF IN TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS

The beautiful Turks & Caicos Islands (TCI) is a collection of small islands within the British West Indies is known for its white sand beaches, amazing coral reefs, and great…

April 10, 2013

YOUTH FISHING CLINIC WITH KEY BISCAYNE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION

Do you remember the first time you tied your first knot or caught your first fish? On April 7th 2013, young people and their parents did just that with the…

March 25, 2013

TBF TALKS CONSERVATION AT SLACK TIDE GUIDE GATHERING

On a recent March afternoon along the beautiful intracoastal waterway in Jensen Beach, Florida, the first annual Slack Tide Guide Gathering was hosted byCosta, YETI, Simms, and Hell’s Bay Boat…

March 23, 2013

TBF ASSISTS WITH CARIBBEAN BILLFISH WORKSHOP IN FORT LAUDERDALE

Fort Lauderdale, FL – On March 19 and 20, stakeholders and experts from over 11 countries and 10 organizations descended upon south Florida and took part in a workshop to…

March 14, 2013

The Billfish Foundation’s Mission

The Billfish Foundation believes in conservation through sportfishing by using Research, Education, and Advocacy. Support TBF and ensure that fishing opportunities are available for future

February 20, 2013

TBF’S TAG AND RELEASE AWARD CEREMONY

On February 13, 2015 The Billfish Foundation will honor conservation achievements at the 2015 Tag and Release Ceremony held at Miami’s Jungle Island Treetop Ballroom. The Tag and Release Ceremony sponsored by Bisbee’s…

January 31, 2013

‘A Night in Atlantis’

Don’t miss The Billfish

January 11, 2013

BIG GAME ROOM CELEBRATES 10 YEARS WITH CAROLINA SKIFF AND THE BILLFISH FOUNDATION

Miami, FL – The Big Game Room, the place to explore the latest that sport fishing has to offer is celebrating this year. Ten years ago, the producers of the…

January 2, 2013

BILLFISH ART EXHIBIT

What do you get with you combine creative high school students, The Billfish Foundation (TBF), and blank mounts from King Sailfish Mounts? After a several weeks, you get beautifully unique…

December 18, 2012

TBF SUBMITS LETTER TO NMFS OPPOSING EXEMPTED FISHING PERMITS

On December 18th 2012, The Billfish Foundation submitted a letter on behalf of its members regarding the potential issuance of Exempted Fishing Permits (EMPs) that would allow longline vessels to…

December 14, 2012

TBF ANNOUNCES THE 2012 TAG AND RELEASE AWARD WINNERS

The Billfish Foundation is proud to announce the Award Winners for the 2012 Tag and Release Competition. This year TBF received nearly 7,000 tag and release reports from all over…

November 30, 2012

TBF AND WATERLUST RELEASE ‘MONEYFI$H’

Ever wonder how scientists and The Billfish Foundation (TBF) learn more about billfish? Well, The Billfish Foundation is proud to release a short movie called ‘Moneyfi$h’, a Waterlust film on…

November 29, 2012

SUPPORT THE ARTS AND BILLFISH CONSERVATION

A special exhibit, “ART & THE BILLFISH,” done by the by members from the National Art Honor Society & Photography Club, many of whom are Marine Magnet students, all from…

November 6, 2012

TBF AND WECAFC HOSTS WORKSHOP ON CARIBBEAN SOCIO-ECONOMICS

Santa Marta, Colombia – On November 4, 2012 The Billfish Foundation (TBF) and the Secretariat of the Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission (WECAFC) of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)…

October 9, 2012

Teach a Kid to Tag, Make a Memory Forever

October 9, 2012

Local Broward High School Student & Teacher Win Prestigious Award

September 10, 2012

Catch Em’ Up – 2012

The start of 2012 has been a success for The Billfish Foundation and the conservation that we do. From all over the world, TBF members have sent pictures highlighting another…

September 10, 2012

The TBF Experience

The TBF Experience is giving away trips to top bill fishing destinations with some of the best captains in the world. Join The Billfish Foundation, and you could win the…

September 10, 2012

TBF and King Sailfish: Tag and Release

This short film provides information on the proper handling and release of fish, as well as a brief introduction to The Billfish

July 17, 2012

A NIGHT IN ATLANTIS

On October 26, 2012 come celebrate a night to remember at TBF’s 26th Annual Gala Fundraiser with Aquatic Culinary Creations, Live Entertainment, and both silent and live auctions while you…

May 11, 2012

THE BILLFISH FOUNDATION’S ELLEN PEEL, NAMED BY PRESIDENT OBAMA TO KEY WHITE HOUSE POST

FT LAUDERDALE, Florida, USA — Ms. Ellen Peel, the much respected president and CEO of The Billfish Foundation, who has also served for three years as a U.S. representative to…

February 2, 2012

AND THE NEXT WINNER OF THE COLLEGIATE BILLFISH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP (CBNC) COSTA SUNGLASSES DRAWING IS…

Paul Veale, an alumnus of the Southern Methodist University, won our fourteenth Collegiate Billfish National Championship (CBNC) Costa Sunglasses drawing. He won by being an active member of The Billfish…

December 2, 2011

TBF’S RESPONSE TO THE JUVENILE SWORDFISH VIDEO ON THE INTERNET

KLHS0OjJ8 I am sure many of you have seen this video already and TBF wanted to respond to what we saw in the view. The excessive killing of the juvenile…

November 3, 2011

PAXSON H. OFFIELD, RECEIVES TBF’S RYBOVICH LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

FT LAUDERDALE, Fla., — A gentleman sportsman long known for his work in conservation on many fronts, especially along the Pacific coast, Paxson H. Offield, received TBF’s Rybovich Lifetime Achievement…

January 13, 2022

Exempted Fishing Permits for East Coast Deep-Set Buoy Gear

NMFS issued 7 Exempted Fishing Permits (EFP) for vessels to fish for BAYS tunas (bigeye, yellowfin albacore, skipjack) and swordfish in the Gulf of Mexico and off the Atlantic East…

January 10, 2022

TBF’s Atlantic Shark Depredation Campaign

No balance currently exists between the hugely successful Atlantic shark conservation and management of Atlantic shark fisheries – people fishing, jobs, food markets, experiences, and economics. Balance is needed. Shark…

January 6, 2022

Atlantic Save the Mahi-Mahi Campaign

Led by Blair Wickstrom of Florida Sportsmans Magazine, targets the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (FMC) and NOAA, and calls for, by anglers, greater conservation restraints for mahi-mahi and wahoo,…

January 3, 2022

TBF’s Atlantic Shark Fishery Comments

The Billfish Foundation submitted comments to National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) today on the Draft Review of Atlantic Shark Fishery Review (SHARE) urging the revitalization of the Atlantic shark fishery…

June 24, 2020

NOAA Increases Commercial Swordfish Retention

NOAA Fisheries is doubling the number of swordfish allowed to be harvested by commercial fisheries. These expanded retention limits apply to vessels issued a Swordfish General Commercial permit or an…

May 1, 2020

Hard Caps Accepted for Pacific Gillnet Fishery

On February 7th, the National Marine Fisheries Service published a final ruling on the implementation of hard caps for drift gillnet fisheries (DGN) in the Pacific. These fisheries target thresher…

March 31, 2020

New Federal Rule Changes

The National Marine Fisheries Service’s recently issued its final decision on Gear Restricted Areas (GRA) and Weak Hook use by pelagic longline vessels. These decisions ARE NOT related to the…

February 12, 2020

NMFS Removes Weak Hook Requirement

The 2011 required year-round use of weak hooks (15/0 carbon vs 16/0 steel for regularly used hook) by pelagic longline vessels fishing in the Gulf of Mexico was for 12…

February 10, 2020

NMFS Weakens Gear Restrictions in Atlantic Ocean

The Gear Restricted Area (GRA) off Cape Hatteras implemented to reduce bluefin tuna bycatch by pelagic longline vessels now is open to the gear. The waters had been closed December…

February 5, 2020

NMFS Still Considering Gear and Quota Changes in Atlantic

Pelagic longline “research” decisions not yet issued that could authorize the gear to fish inside waters closed for 19 and 20 years off of Florida’s east coast, Charleston and in…

December 6, 2019

A Win for HMS Conservation in the Pacific? Not So Fast…

While no action was taken by the federal Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) at its November meeting to advance further consideration of its recently proposed measure to consider authorizing a…

November 11, 2019

TBF Responds to New Pacific Fishery Management Council Initiative

The Pacific Fishery Management Counsel is proposing to authorize the use of shallow-set longline gear to fish for swordfish off the West Coast of the United States. Below are the…

October 30, 2019

NOAA Proposes Fishing Regulations in Gulf of Mexico

NOAA is considering an amendment to the current Fishery Management Plan for Coral and Coral Reef Resources in Gulf of Mexico. The amendment establishes new and modifies existing habitat areas…

October 4, 2019

FWC Supports TBF In Opposing NMFS Initiatives

The Billfish Foundation is encouraged by the comments made by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) regarding the proposed actions of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NFMS). As…

September 30, 2019

TBF Tells NMFS NO To Harming Billfish and Sportfishing

As promised, below are TBF’s final comments for the NMFS initiative that will potentially decimate billfish populations and harm the recreational fishing community. As a reminder, the new NMFS proposal…

September 27, 2019

New NMFS Initiatives Benefit Longlines and Harm Recreational Community

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is proposing initiatives that once again ignore the recreational fishing community and do not benefit billfish conservation. NMFS seeks to reinvigorate commercial catch by…

September 19, 2019

New Gear Restrictions May Help Billfish in the Pacific

The Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission recently announced new requirements for fisheries targeting tuna in the Eastern Pacific Ocean (EPO). These new regulations intend to reduce sea turtle bycatch but have…

September 9, 2019

Potential Changes to the NOAA HMS Fishery Management Plans

Earlier last week, NOAA Fisheries announced that they are considering changes to the 2006 Consolidated HMS Fishery Management Plan and we will be monitoring and reviewing this further and providing…

July 15, 2019

Proposed Modifications to Pelagic Longline Bluefin Tuna Area-Based and Weak Hook Management Measures

NMFS proposes to modify the one-month closed zone off New Jersey and the spring two-month gear restricted area in the Gulf of Mexico to become Monitoring Zones with an annual…

July 12, 2019

Options to maximize Bluefin Tuna in the Atlantic Ocean

Amendment 13 to the Highly Migratory Species Fishery Management Plan proposes many options striving to maximize utilization of the U.S. bluefin quota. Half of the options propose changes to the…

July 8, 2019

Help Keep Pelagic Longlines OUT of Closed Zones

The U.S. pelagic longline closed zones and gear restricted areas were established to reduce bycatch of juvenile swordfish by protecting nursery grounds, overfished marlin, sailfish, which remain overfished, large coastal…

June 27, 2019

Atlantic Bluefin Tuna In-Season Adjustment

June 12, 2019

New Exempted Fishing Permits for Longlines off US West Coast

Exempted Fishing Permits were issued by the Pacific Fishery Management Council on April 29, 2019 to two vessels to fish off the U.S. west coast in federal waters (Exclusive Economic Zone)…

June 4, 2019

NMFS Discussing New Ways to Allow Commercial Fishing Vessels Inside Closed Zones

NEEDS ALL ANGLERS ATTENTION – The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) launched a new and very comprehensive process for evaluating the success or inefficiencies of current Pelagic Longline Closed Zones…

April 3, 2025

New Tag & Release Category – TBF Legends

April 3, 2025

Marlin Fly Week

March 14, 2025

Partnering for Billfish Conservation: New Integrated Reporting System (VESL) Simplifies Data Collection

March 13, 2025

International Tagging Initiative

March 13, 2025

Annual Tag & Release Ceremony

November 6, 2024

Anglers We Will Miss: Dr. C. Phillip Goodyear

June 11, 2024

Recapture on Japanese Longliner!

March 10, 2024

New Striped Marlin Study

December 1, 2023

76th Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute Recap

May 4, 2023

Costa’s Marlin-Fly Project

For years, we have all heard about the amazing fishery and waters in Magdalena Bay, Mexico. From the hookups of doubles, triples, and quads of striped marlin with daily releases…

May 1, 2023

Pacific Striped Marlin Rebuilding Plan

Western & Central Northern Pacific striped marlin, whose abundance, especially spawning-stock biomass, and size are greatly diminished and retain low priority within the Western & Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC).…

April 20, 2023

Wind lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico

The proposed sale is part of the leasing project announced by the DOI in 2021 to meet the Biden administration’s goal to deploy thirty gigawatts of offshore wind energy capacity…

March 13, 2023

New Report of the Economic Contributions by Recreational Fishing Released

Last week, the American Sportfishing Association (ASA) released the 2023 Economic Contributions of Recreational Fishing: U.S. Congressional Districts report, an update of previous data in partnership with Southwick Associates. The…

January 21, 2023

Gulf of Mexico Hotspots Mapping Initiative

NOAA and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) are collaborating on a 5-year project to “evaluate the feasibility of bycatch hotspots” via communication networks in the Gulf of Mexico.…

December 6, 2022

Costa Rican Government Supports Sailfish Conservation

A Step in the Right Direction for Sailfish in Costa Rica If you’re expecting to come across sailfish meat in the Costa Rican Canasta Basica, then you’re unfortunately going to…

September 12, 2022

Gulf of Mexico Restoration Plan

Since the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico on April 20, 2010, a group of federal representatives have continued to assess and develop recovery strategies for injured…

September 12, 2022

Costa Rica’s Tuna Reform Law – Billfish Impacts Uncertain

As reported recently in the Tico Times, a new Costa Rican tuna law requires all purse seine vessels (none of which are owned by Costa Rican interests) to fish outside of…

August 10, 2022

New Findings on Striped Marlin Migrations

The following was released by the Pacific Islands Fisheries Group and the Large Pelagics Research Center: The most comprehensive effort to date to characterize striped marlin (Kajikia audax) movements in the Central North…

August 10, 2022

Estimating Pelagic Longline Bycatch

Over the years, Dr. C. Phillip Goodyear, TBF’s billfish scientist has developed “species distribution models” for highly migratory species that estimate time-varying, three-dimensional distribution of habitat. These models are useful…

June 24, 2022

Fight Against Illegal Fishing by Port State Measures Agreement (PSMA)

Countries are robbed of an estimated $26-50 billion annually due to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU). IUU fishing is defined as any fishing operations outside of current regulations…

June 15, 2022

Effects of Circle Hooks on Sharks and Rays – IATTC Review

In March of this year, the 1st Circle Hook Workshop of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC) commenced. The goal was to analyze “scientific information regarding different circle hooks sizes…

June 3, 2022

Colombia and Panama Updates – June 2022

Sportfishing Banned in Colombia – Beginning in 2023 The Supreme Court of Colombia recently ruled that sportfishing, even catch and release, amounts to torture, thus prohibiting the sport in marine…

May 17, 2022

Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Angling Category Gulf of Mexico Fishery Update

After 11:30 p.m., May 17, 2022, fishermen aboard Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Angling or HMS Charter/Headboat permitted vessels may not retain, possess, or land large medium or giant Atlantic…

April 18, 2022

Help Reduce Atlantic Shark Depredation

The NMFS has achieved predator-rich relationships with sharks and other species beyond what some scientists describe as “equilibrium.” The result is heavy shark predation of other fish stocks important to…

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